The Border Security Force (BSF), India’s frontier force for Pakistan and Bangladesh, has commissioned over 9,500 personnel in the first three-and-a-half months of this year to bolster its manpower, official data said.

These personnel, largely in the entry rank of constable, are being gradually deployed at border posts along Pakistan and Bangladesh and for internal security duties in the hinterland that includes undertaking armed combat against Left Wing Extremists (LWE), a senior officer told PTI.

Out of the total 9,550 troops commissioned into the force between January 1-April 13, about 1,700 are women personnel, the data said.

These personnel, in the age group of 20-25, were recruited in the middle of last year and have been imparted a 44-week basic training in various subjects like weapon handling and firing, map reading, disaster management, border management, human rights, basic laws governing security operations, internal security dimensions and unarmed combat among others, at various training institutions of the force spread across the country.

“While most of the fresh personnel have been recruited in the general security duty cadre, some have been recruited for specialist branches like radio operators (896) and others,” the officer quoted above said.

More such inductions after passing out ceremonies will be held over the next few days, he added.

The about 2.65 lakh personnel force under the Union Home Ministry had recruited these personnel as part of its operational requirement to fill vacancies and bolster its strength at the two sensitive and important borders given the dynamic situation that arises due to the prevailing security situation in India’s neighbourhood, the first officer said.

The BSF is mandated to check cross-border crimes like arms, narcotics and fake currency smuggling and stop infiltration of terrorists and criminals through the country’s land and riverine borders.